Department for Transport

Bus Services: Disability

lord holmes of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their Bus Services Act 2017: bus open data consultation response, published in January, why the provision of accessibility information “would be too great an implementation burden for bus operators”; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the lack of such information on those with disabilities.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport consulted with bus operators, passengers and their representative groups to explore the technical feasibility of requiring operators and/or local transport authorities to provide accessibility data for both vehicles and stops. We came to the conclusion that the industry is not yet ready to meet this challenge and therefore have chosen to focus on only legally requiring the core data types for the Bus Open Data Digital Service. Whilst we do consider accessibility information to be of great importance for public transport users, many operators would need to upgrade their systems in order to openly publish accessibility information, and many operators are not currently in a position to do so. However, we are working with the industry to support the voluntary and open publication of accessibility information and at a later stage in the programme, after the core requirements have been successfully delivered, return to this important data type and consider whether it would be feasible to legally require the industry to openly publish accessibility information about vehicles.

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce legislation that requires all electricity used at charging points for electric vehicles to be from renewable sources.

baroness vere of norbiton: We want an increasing proportion of the electricity used at electric vehicle charging points to be from renewable and low carbon sources. We are taking steps to facilitate this by cleaning up the UK’s power generation and increasing the amount of renewable generation and ensuring electric vehicles play a helpful role in our future smart and flexible energy system. The Clean Growth Strategy sets out steps the Government is taking to further decarbonise the power sector and the wider economy. Between now and 2050, the Government projects electricity grid emissions will continue to fall with increasing levels of low carbon and distributed renewable generation. To enable these changes in generation, the system is adapting to become more flexible and smarter in order to better manage the new flows in power. Electric vehicles have an important role to play in this transition – offering new opportunities for consumers and the power system. Smart charging will allow charging to happen at times when more renewable energy is available. The department plans to consult on smart chargepoint requirements shortly.

West Coast Partnership Rail Franchise

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether FirstGroup has met all Department of Transport criteria on railways pensions as a shortlisted bidder for the West Coast Partnership rail franchise.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department does not comment on a live competition. Please note that all bids received for any franchise competition are evaluated against the requirements and instructions set out in the relevant Invitation To Tender.

Heathrow Airport: Railways

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect (1) funding to be approved, and (2) an application for a Development Consent Order to be made, for a Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government fully supports the development of a Western Rail Link to Heathrow. The development of a five case business case for the Western Rail Link to Heathrow is nearing completion. The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline sets out the process and principles underpinning funding of enhancements to the railway. Subject a satisfactory business case, and the agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow aviation industry, funding would be made available to take the project forward to the ‘Design’ gateway. On that basis, Network Rail expects to submit its Development Consent Order later in the Autumn.

Heathrow Airport: Railways

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to announce the next stage of the process for selecting a preferred developer for a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow Airport.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department has not undertaken a procurement process to select a preferred developer for a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding of the study Flame retardants in UK furniture increase smoke toxicity more than they reduce fire growth rate, published in the journal Chemosphere in December 2017; and what steps they are taking to ensure that UK furniture is safe.

lord henley: As part of the Government’s review of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988, we are taking account of a wide range of scientific evidence from external sources including academic papers and studies. We are committed to reviewing these regulations to ensure that the highest levels of fire safety are maintained while minimising risks to health and the environment.

Furniture: Fire Prevention

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Office for Product Safety and Standards has spent on product compliance testing under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 since its formation; and what were the results of such testing.

lord henley: The Office for Product Safety and Standards has made available £500,000 in 2018 and £600,000 in 2019 for Local Authority Trading Standards to carry out product compliance testing at accredited laboratories. This testing includes compliance testing under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. Local Authority Trading Standards take appropriate enforcement action as required in light of the results from this testing.

Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will respond to their 2016 consultation on updating the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988.

lord henley: This is a complex issue and it is absolutely vital that the Government gets this right: we are committed to reviewing these regulations to ensure that the highest levels of fire safety are maintained while minimising risks to health and the environment. The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation in due course.

Electric Vehicles

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the increase in demand for power as a result of any growth in electric vehicle use by (1) 2030, and (2) 2040; and what plans they have to ensure the UK's energy infrastructure meets this rise in demand.

lord henley: National Grid (Electricity System Operator) published their 2018 Future Energy Scenarios on 12 July (attached) and previously produced a bespoke note on the electricity system impacts of electric vehicles (attached). The level of impact that National Grid presents is manageable by the electricity system and shows the benefits that can be provided through smart charging of electric vehicles. Therefore, the Government has taken powers in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act to mandate that all charge points sold or installed in the UK must be smart enabled, and we are planning to consult on secondary regulations this year. In addition, the Government has established an Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce, made up of representatives from across the automotive and energy industries and consumer groups, in order to consider these issues, alongside the wider integration of electric vehicles into the energy system. The Government is confident it will be possible to manage additional demand from greater uptake of electric vehicles through adjustments to the level of capacity secured in Capacity Market auctions. In terms of transporting the power, network companies (including transmission operators) are regional monopolies regulated by the independent energy regulator Ofgem. Ofgem regulates the companies using a price control process called RIIO. As part of this process companies are expected to run a safe and secure network whilst adequately investing for the future and ensuring fair costs to consumers. This process ensures the network infrastructure can transport the power to where it is needed.



Future Energy Scenarios (July 2018)
(PDF Document, 2.45 MB)




Electricity system impacts of electric vehicles
(PDF Document, 372.67 KB)

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the automotive sector of recent announcements by Honda and other car manufacturers of expected job losses in the UK.

lord henley: This is a concerning time for the 3,500 workers at the Swindon plant and the many thousands of people employed by companies in Honda UK’s supply chain. The Government will come together to provide support for those affected by this and other decisions. Despite this disappointing news, government believes that the case for continued investment in the UK is exceptionally strong, and that Honda and our strategic technology priorities are aligned. The UK has some of the best talent in the world and the Government is already investing in future car manufacturing, batteries and electrification infrastructure to ensure the UK retains its world-leading edge. The UK continues to be one of the most competitive locations in the world for automotive and other advanced manufacturing. We continue to support individual company investments in technology transition, and we are committed to maintaining and growing our domestic supply chain and highly skilled workforce. We recognise the challenges facing automotive businesses, including the prevailing market conditions in Europe, but strongly believe that companies in automotive and other sectors can continue to take advantage of the UK’s business environment and the opportunities arising from accessing new and developing markets in the UK and overseas. We are determined to ensure that the UK continues to be one of the most competitive locations in the world for the automotive sector. BEIS Ministers and officials regularly engage with the automotive industry, including bilaterals with manufacturers, interactions via trade associations, and through the Department’s participation in the Automotive Council.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Iraq: Christianity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 5 February (HL13010), what assessment they have made of thereport bythe Institute of Development Studies The Persecution of Christians in the Middle East, published in 2017,that estimates that in2003 there were approximately 1.5 million Christians in Iraq, and that in 2017 that number was between 200,000 and 250,000.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we are unable to confirm the exact numbers, we are gravely concerned about the decline in the numbers of Christians in Iraq in recent years as also cited in the independent interim report of the Bishop of Truro into the Persecution of Christians. We assess that a number of factors have resulted in this decline, including conflict and insecurity in Iraq and the particular threat posed by Daesh. We continue to engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on the need to protect the rights of Christians and other religious minorities. However, during a recent meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister on the 17 May and the Archbishop of Erbil on 21 May I heard of the steps being taken to reopen churches and the increased number of church services being help in Iraq.

Pakistan: Blasphemy

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case of the Pakistani Christian woman, Shagufta Kauser, who, with her disabled husband, Shafqat Emmanuel, was sentenced to death in 2014, for allegedly sending blasphemous text messages, including reports that the couple are illiterate and that the messages were in English; and what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about this case.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware and are monitoring the case of Shagufta Kausar and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel. We remain deeply concerned about reports of discrimination against the Christian community and other religious minorities in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the government of Pakistan at a senior level.I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during my visit to Islamabad in February. The UK raised concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at Pakistan's UN Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November 2017. We urged Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities from all faith communities.The UK remains firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We have repeatedly called upon the Government of Pakistan to end capital punishment and, at a minimum, commit to publicly renewing the previously imposed moratorium on the death penalty.We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee fully the rights of all Pakistani citizens, including religious minorities, and to honour its international obligations.

Sri Lanka: Terrorism

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian assistance they have sent, or intend to send, to the communities affected by the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Sri Lanka has not requested humanitarian assistance. Following the Easter Sunday attacks, the Sri Lankan Government announced it would provide compensation for victims and fund the repair of the affected churches. The Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime, Ben Wallace, visited Sri Lanka on 2-3 May to demonstrate solidarity and discuss what UK support would be most helpful. Existing UK support in Sri Lanka includes £8.3 million of Conflict Stability and Security Fund funding over three years (2016-2019) to support police reform and training, reconciliation and peacebuilding, resettlement, interfaith dialogue and demining in the north of the country. We are also engaging with the Sri Lankan Government, faith and community leaders to encourage the Government to take all appropriate measures to reassure all of Sri Lanka's citizens that it will protect and uphold their safety and rights, and that its response to the attacks is proportionate and builds trust across all communities in Sri Lanka.

Gaza: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the ecological damage caused by the recent escalation of hostilities in Gaza.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not made any assessment on this issue.​

Gaza: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the damage caused by the recent escalation of hostilities in Gaza, in particular to public facilities and services, and electricity networks; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the loss of such facilities, services, and networks on the civilian population in Gaza.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is gravely concerned by the recent escalation of hostilities in Gaza. We wholly condemn rocket fire by Hamas and other militants. The then acting Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, the Rt Hon. Mark Field MP, spoke to UN MEPP Coordinator Mladenov on 8 May where he welcomed the Egyptian and UN brokered ceasefire. We urge the parties to make progress towards a long-term agreement to ensure a durable solution for Gaza. We are concerned by damage to infrastructure in Gaza and the impact this has on the civilian population. The UK is supporting up to 1 million Gazans by addressing critical water and sanitation needs through £2 million to UNICEF. We have also announced £2 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross for medicines and surgical supplies.

Israeli Settlements: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about the number of attacks on Palestinian civilians by Israeli settlers including hit and run offences.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance and bring those responsible to justice. We have also stressed the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. While the vast majority of settlers do not engage in attacks, there are pockets of extremely worrying violence.

Israeli Settlements: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that Israeli settlers have poisoned water supplies used by shepherds in the West Bank; and what steps they intend to take to protect those shepherds from attacks by settlers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to raise with our Israeli counterparts our concerns about the humanitarian and environmental impact of the damage to water sources and the destruction of Palestinian agricultural land that has been caused by settlement-related activity. We continue to condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians and stress the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Gaza: Fisheries

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the restrictions faced by fishermen in Gaza; what assessment they have made of the (1) amount, and (2) communication, of changes to the size and location of the fishing zone in Gaza; and what steps they intend to take to protect fishermen in Gaza from attacks by Israeli forces.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly raise with the Government of Israel the urgent need to ease access and movement restrictions on Gaza, including fishing limits. This would help to restore the fishing industry. Our understanding is that on 9 May, Israel increased the permitted fishing zone off the coast of Gaza to twelve nautical miles. The UK would like to see a permanent increase in the size of the fishing zone off the coast of Gaza, in line with the limit of twenty nautical miles stipulated in the Oslo accords.

Gaza: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 8 May (HL15420), what steps they intend to take to ensure that books, particularly educational books, are not prevented by Israel from reaching those living in the Gaza Strip.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. But we continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and regularly call for them to ease restrictions further. We also support education through our funding to the Palestinian Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees.

Taiwan: World Health Assembly

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the World Health Organisation about Taiwan being excluded from the World Health Assembly; and what plans they have to provide Taiwan, in its absence,with informationfrom that Assembly.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Health officials have made a number of senior-level representations with like-minded partners about Taiwan’s exclusion from the World Health Assembly and technical meetings of the World Health Organisation. The UK supports Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations where statehood is not a prerequisite and where Taiwan can make a valuable contribution, such as global health. In line with our longstanding unofficial relationship, we have a wide range of exchanges with Taiwan, including on global health issues.

Gaza: Animals

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the loss of (1) farm, and (2) pack, animals as a result of the blockade and the escalation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip on (a) food supply, and (b) those in Gaza who rely on such animals for their livelihoods.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whist we have not made any assessment on this specific issue, we continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and regularly call for them to ease restrictions further.

Israeli Settlements: Palestinians

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to assess any negative impact on Palestinians of the policies of business operating in, or with, Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We routinely update our guidance to British businesses on the Overseas Business Risk website. We advise British businesses to bear in mind the British Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region. It has long been our position that Israeli settlement activity is illegal and undermines the viability of two states for two peoples. Ultimately it is the decision of an individual or company whether to operate in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, but the British Government neither encourages nor offers support to such activity.

Department of Health and Social Care

Pneumococcal Diseases: Vaccination

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to reduce the infant pneumococcal vaccination schedule from three doses to two.

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what analyses they have conducted of the risks and benefits of reducing the infant pneumococcal vaccination schedule from 2+1 to 1+1; and whether they will publish the results any such analyses.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides independent expert advice on the United Kingdom’s immunisation programme. As an independent committee, it is well placed to ensure the latest and most appropriate evidence has been considered on potential changes to scheduling within the vaccine programme. It bases its advice on review of a wide range of scientific and other evidence, including from the published literature, commissioned studies such as independent analyses of vaccine effectiveness and cost effectiveness.The JCVI advised that a two-dose schedule for the infant pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) Prevenar13 is appropriate for the UK. Its advice takes into account the public health aspects of any potential change to the vaccination schedule, such as the potential impact on cases of infectious disease. The JCVI consulted relevant stakeholders on its proposed advice, between January and April 2018, to ensure that its advice reflects all the evidence.The JCVI’s advice on the infant pneumococcal programme was given full consideration, including the potential public health implications, before a decision was made to implement it. The UK frequently adopts innovative immunisation schedules and we regularly change the vaccine schedule following the advice of our independent expert committee, as we are doing in this case.The decision is based on the excellent effectiveness of the vaccine and years of high uptake, which has helped to provide protection to the rest of the population and has successfully controlled many types of pneumococcal disease in this country. The evidence shows that two doses will sustain the excellent results we have already seen. We are confident that the world-class disease surveillance system we have in this country means our expert committee can closely monitor the impact of this change. This is set out in the JCVI’s minutes which are attached.



JCVI Minute 2015
(PDF Document, 766.89 KB)

HIV Infection: Vaccination

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve vaccination coverage for people living with HIV.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Public Health England, in partnership with NHS England and the Department, is taking steps to improve vaccination coverage in England, including for people living with HIV.These steps include initiatives to improve access to the immunisation programme; communication with the public; data to identify underserved individuals and populations; and training for healthcare professionals, changes to vaccination eligibility criteria; launching disease elimination strategies; running targeted social media campaigns; providing information leaflets in multiple languages and running e-learning programme for healthcare practitioners.Certain vaccines are delivered through sexual health services that particularly benefit people living with HIV. This includes vaccines for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and human papillomavirus. People living with HIV are in the influenza risk groups and are invited for the flu vaccine on an annual basis.

NHS: Migrant Workers

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase the number of NHS staff recruited from EU member states after Brexit.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government recognises the need to be able to recruit effectively from abroad and the Immigration White Paper, The UK’s future skills-based immigration system, published in December 2018, sets out the foundation for a single immigration system, where it is workers’ skills that matter, not where they come from. This system will streamline the high-skilled visa route, by removing the Resident Labour Market Test and the Tier 2 Visa Cap. The Home Office is undertaking a programme of engagement to discuss the proposed measures with colleagues across Government and industry, to develop a future immigration system that works for the whole of the United Kingdom.The Government wants to support the National Health Service in expanding international recruitment more widely, as this clearly has a role to play to meeting staffing shortages, especially in the short term. Recruitment of doctors and nurses is the responsibility of individual NHS organisations, a number of which do actively recruit from overseas, including from countries in the European Union. However, we also recognise the need to boost our domestic workforce as well. The NHS Long Term Plan sets out a vital strategic framework to ensure that, over the next 10 years, the NHS will have the staff it needs so that nurses and doctors are working in a supportive culture that allows them to provide the expert compassionate care they are committed to providing. Details of this will be explored more fully in the forthcoming Interim NHS People Plan.The Government has taken steps to ensure that EU citizens can continue to come and work in the NHS once we have left the EU. In March 2019, we put in place legislation that ensures the continued recognition of qualifications from EU countries by all professional regulators covering the health and social care sectors. This means that EU citizens will continue to be able to come and practice in the UK once we have left the EU, even if we leave without a deal.

Dental Health: Antibiotics

lord colwyn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 4 December 2018 (HL11750), how many antibiotic prescriptions were issued by general dental practitioners in England in 2018.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Dental Prescribing Dashboard developed by the NHS Business Services Authority and Public Health England, includes data for National Health Service local area teams. Latest available data show general dental practitioners issued 2,912,579 prescriptions for all antimicrobials including antibiotics during April 2017 to March 2018. There were 715,545 prescriptions between January and March 2018. The Dental Prescribing Dashboard will be refreshed in summer 2019.Analysis is based on items prescribed by NHS dentists, but some patients may attend a general medical practice with a dental infection and receive a prescription from their general practitioner (GP). These prescriptions are not included, as we cannot determine the reason why a GP prescribed antibiotics.The English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR) Report 2018 provides information on NHS dental prescribing in dental practices and consultations. The ESPAUR report for 2019 scheduled for publication later this year will publish data for the 2018 calendar year. The ESPAUR 2018 report is attached.



ESPAUR_2018_report
(PDF Document, 2.25 MB)

Gender Recognition: Children

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theyintend to publish the results of the research project started in 2011 by the NHS Gender Identity Development Service Early pubertal suppression in a carefully selected group of adolescents with gender identity disorder; andif not, whether they will arrange for the data gathered by that study to be made available to other researchers.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The research is an ethically approved study being carried out by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust since 2011, which is the largest provider of services for the alleviation of gender dysphoria in the United Kingdom.The study will evaluate early pubertal suppression in a carefully selected group of adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. There are 44 young people taking part in the study.The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has plans to publish the data once all of the young people in the study have reached the stage when a clinical decision is made about moving from pubertal suppressants to cross-sex hormones, which the Trust expects to occur in the next 12 months.

Department for Education

Social Mobility

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of policies and programmes to tackle social inequality in the UK; and what evidence exists to demonstrate that children and young people living in poverty and low-income households have been enabled by those policies and programmes to overcome the barriers to social mobility.

lord agnew of oulton: Social mobility is a top priority, and the department is taking action to remove barriers to opportunity at every stage of the education system. The department has set out a 10 year ambition to boost children’s early reading and communication skills. We have invested more than £15 billion in the pupil premium to support the most disadvantaged pupils and we are reforming technical education. The evidence shows we are closing the educational attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and others, as measured by the disadvantage gap index, by around 13 % at key stage 2 and 9.5 % at key stage 4 since 2011. As well as increasing the proportion of disadvantaged 18 year olds entering full-time higher education from 13.3% in 2009 to 20.2% in 2018.The department has invested over £137 million in the Education Endowment Foundation to help schools use the pupil premium in ways that are proven to have a positive impact.We are committed to tackling the root causes of poverty and disadvantage and we are making good progress. Nationally, there are now over a million fewer workless households, and around 665,000 fewer children living in such households compared with 2010.

Young People: Surveys

baroness wolf of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to date, excluding the cost of officials’ time, of the Longitudinal study of young people in England: cohort 2, wave 1, including (1) questionnaire design, (2) piloting, (3) data collection, (4) coding, and (5) data cleaning.

baroness wolf of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to date, excluding the cost of officials’ time, of the Longitudinal study of young people in England: cohort 2, wave 2, including (1) questionnaire design, (2) piloting, (3) data collection, (4) coding, and (5) data cleaning.

baroness wolf of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to date, excluding the cost of officials’ time, of the Longitudinal study of young people in England: cohort 2, wave 3, including (1) questionnaire design, (2) piloting, (3) data collection, (4) coding, and (5) data cleaning.

baroness wolf of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to date, excluding the cost of officials’ time, of the Longitudinal study of young people in England: cohort 2, wave 4, including (1) questionnaire design, (2) piloting, (3) data collection, (4) coding, and (5) data cleaning.

lord agnew of oulton: The release of this information would prejudice commercial interests. Therefore, my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families will communicate privately with the noble Lady, Baroness Wolf of Dulwich.

Maintained Schools: Special Educational Needs

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of mainstream maintained schools in England offered Key Stage 4 alternatives to GCSEs, suitable for children with special educational, health or social care needs; how many children took such courses, in each of the last five years for which records are available; what are the most popular of those non-GCSE courses; and which organisations create them.

lord agnew of oulton: There is not a range of non-GCSE qualifications taught at key stage 4 designed specifically for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). Pupils should have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. The national curriculum inclusion statement states that teachers should set high expectations for every pupil, whatever their prior attainment. Teachers should use appropriate assessment to set targets which are deliberately ambitious. Potential areas of difficulty should be identified and addressed at the outset. Lessons should be planned to address potential areas of difficulty and to remove barriers to pupil achievement. In many cases, such planning will mean that pupils with SEN and disabilities will be able to study the full national curriculum. The department holds information on entries to non-GCSE qualifications included in the school performance tables, analysis of which is provided below. The percentage of schools (mainstream[1]) with at least one pupil at the end of key stage 4[2] entering[3] non-GCSE qualifications[4], in each of the last 5 years, is shown in the table below:  2017/18[5]2016/172015/162014/152013/14Number of mainstream schools3,1753,1533,1133,0693,037Percentage of mainstream schools9597999999with at least one pupil enteringa non-GCSE qualification (%)  The percentage of mainstream school pupils entering at least one non-GCSE qualification, in each of the last 5 years, is shown in the table below: 2017/182016/172015/162014/152013/14Pupil cohort513,356517,756530,580543,314548,290Percentage of mainstream pupils who sat4052727168at least one non-GCSE subject (%) Tables showing the 10 most entered non-GCSE qualifications in all state-funded mainstream schools are included in the attached spreadsheet. [1] State-funded mainstream schools include academies, free schools, city technology colleges and further education colleges with provision for 14 to 16 year olds. They exclude state-funded special schools, independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision (AP) (including pupil referral units, AP free schools and AP academies as well as state-funded AP placements in other institutions).[2] Pupils are identified as being at the end of key stage 4 if they were on roll at the school and in year 11 at the time of the January school census for that year. Age is calculated as at 31 August for that year, and the majority of pupils at the end of key stage 4 were age 15 at the start of the academic year. Some pupils may complete this key stage in an earlier or later year group.[3] The department does not collect data on which qualifications are offered by schools, instead figures based on which qualifications have been entered by pupils has been used as a proxy. There may be some qualifications offered by a school that no pupils sat exams in for each year.[4] Figures only include qualifications included in performance tables.[5] 2017/18 figures are revised figures. All other figures are final figures.



HL15682_Tables
(Excel SpreadSheet, 72 KB)

School Day

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the report by the UCL Institute of Education School break times and young people’s social lives: A follow-up national study, published in May, what assessment they have made of the impact of shortening school break times on (1) childhood obesity, (2) academic performance, and (3) children’s social lives; and what steps they are taking to address any such impact.

lord agnew of oulton: The government has not made a specific assessment of the impact of the length of school break times on obesity, academic performance or children’s social lives. Schools have the autonomy to make decisions about the structure and duration of their school day to suit their own circumstances. However, the department is clear that pupils should be given an appropriate break and expects school leaders to make sure this happens. The government recognises the importance of physical activity in schools to improve physical and mental wellbeing and support attainment. That is why our Childhood Obesity strategy reflects the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines that primary age children should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day and the aim that 30 minutes of that should be during the school day.

History: Curriculum

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of revising the history curriculum to provide an honest and critical portrayal of the UK’s colonial history.

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of including the Opium Wars in the history curriculum in order to facilitate a greater understanding of (1) the UK’s colonial history, and (2) UK–Chinese relations.

lord agnew of oulton: The current national curriculum programmes of study for history, which have been taught since September 2014, set the framework for the teaching of the subject in maintained schools in terms of the broad time periods and themes to be taught. Academies may design and follow their own curricula. The government does not specify what the content of lessons on particular topics should be or how teachers should present information. We trust teachers, as professionals, to plan their own lessons and select their own resources. However, the curriculum does aim to make sure that pupils know and understand how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world. Therefore, Empire and colonialism is a significant theme, and a suggested topic within the ‘challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day’ theme is ‘Indian independence and end of Empire’. Programmes of study also require at least one study of a significant society or issue in world history and its interconnections with other world developments. While not mandatory, a suggested topic is ‘China’s Qing dynasty 1644-1911’, which encompasses the period within which the Opium Wars took place. The national curriculum programmes of study for history for key stages 1-3 are attached and are available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-history-programmes-of-study. We have no current plans to change the history curriculum. In order to provide a period of stability to schools, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has committed to making no new changes to the national curriculum during this Parliament.



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Climate Change: Education

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in 2002 and Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home, published in 2015, what assessment they have made of the priority that teaching on climate change has been given in Catholic schools; and what steps they are taking to give increased priority to the teaching of climate change in state schools.

lord agnew of oulton: The government has not made any specific assessment of the priority that Catholic schools give to teaching about climate change. Like all schools, faith schools are required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum that includes science.The government believes it is vital that all children are informed about climate change. For this reason, relevant topics are included throughout the geography and science national curriculum and qualifications. For example, as part of the science curriculum in secondary schools, pupils will consider the evidence for human causes of climate change. In addition, as part of GCSE geography they will study the spatial and temporal characteristics of climatic change and evidence for different causes, including human activity.

Arts: Skilled Workers

baroness blackstone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that businesses continue to have access to a workforce with sufficient creative and design-linked skills.

lord agnew of oulton: Our reforms to professional and technical education and apprenticeships are aimed at ensuring that people of all ages get access to the education and training that businesses across the sectors need. Both apprenticeships and T levels, when they are introduced, can be a valuable way of developing skills for the creative and design sectors. Employer-designed T levels will give students the skills needed to enter work or higher level technical study, helping young people to get a head-start in their potential careers. The first 3 T levels will be delivered in 2020, and we will confirm the timetable for the rollout of courses in creative and design before the end of this year. New apprenticeship standards across all levels are being designed and driven by industry – creating higher quality training that will lead to a more skilled and productive economy. There are 23 Creative and Design Apprenticeship Standards approved for delivery with 6 standards currently in development. The National College for Creative Industries, opened in September 2016, is one of 4 national colleges which we are establishing to set new standards for higher-level technical training.

Treasury

Insolvency

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the basis for their estimate in the consultation by HMRCProtecting your taxes in insolvency,published on 26 February, that the reintroduction of preferential status for any Crown creditor would yield £185 million per annum in additional tax revenue.

lord young of cookham: The estimate is the tax recovered from insolvencies that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) would not otherwise have collected before the policy was implemented. Adjustments were made for tax and payment timing.

Insolvency

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the proposals in the consultation by HMRC Protecting your taxes in insolvency,published on 26 February, to reintroduce preferential status for any Crown creditor takes into account lost Government revenue resulting from other taxpayers suffering additional bad debts due to the priority payment of HMRC, and any consequential loss to the economy resulting other taxpayers themselves becoming insolvent due to an increased burden of bad debt; and what assessment, if any, they have made of the impact of that change on lending.

lord young of cookham: The ‘Protecting your taxes in insolvency’ proposals take into account lost government revenue resulting from other taxpayers suffering additional bad debts due to the priority payment of HMRC. Lending against fixed assets will not be impacted by this measure, but lending against floating assets will be impacted, as HMRC will move above secured creditors with floating charges in insolvencies. At Budget 2018, the independent OBR chose not to make any adjustments to their economic forecast in response to this measure.

Banks: Competition

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to update competition law to allow for shared banking hubs in areas where local bank branches have been closed.

lord young of cookham: Branch closures can be difficult for the communities affected and the Government pays close attention to this issue. However, the decision to close a branch is a commercial one for a firm, and Government does not intervene in those decisions. However, the Government is equally clear that as banking providers seek to respond to technological advances and changes in customer behaviour, they must also consider carefully the needs of those who still rely on their local bank branch. Since May 2017, the major high street banks have been signed up to the Access to Banking Standard, which commits them to work with customers and communities to minimise the impact of branch closures and put in place alternative banking services. The Government also supports the Post Office Banking Framework Agreement which enables 99% of the UK’s personal and 95% of the UK’s small business customers to withdraw money, deposit cash and cheques and check balances at any one of the Post Office’s network of 11,500 branches.  While banks do have to comply with competition law, there is no specific regulation that prevents banks from sharing branches or other premises where their strategies align. The Government therefore has no plans to update competition law on this basis. Government does not intervene in these commercial decisions, but will continue to encourage banks to think creatively about how they can ensure that consumers can access a wide range of banking services on a sustainable basis. For example, NatWest, Lloyds Bank and Barclays are trialling shared business banking hubs in 6 locations across the UK in the coming weeks.

Loans

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have modelled the systemic risk impact of growth in instructional, non bank, lending.

lord young of cookham: The Financial Policy Committee (FPC) of the Bank of England was set up to identify, monitor and take action to remove or reduce systemic risks with a view to protecting and enhancing the resilience of the UK financial system as part of the new financial regulatory framework legislated for under The Financial Services Act 2012. Part of the FPC’s remit includes the responsibility for assessing risks in the financial system, including from the non-bank financial system. The FPC set out its most recent assessment of financial stability risks from the non-bank financial sector in its 28th November 2018 Financial Stability Report.

Credit

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any increase in complaints regarding short-term and payday lenders related to those suffering with problem debt.

lord young of cookham: The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market, transferring regulatory responsibility to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April 2014. The FCA requires payday lenders to carry out robust affordability checks, limits the number of times a payday loan can be rolled over to two, places tough restrictions on lenders’ use of continuous payment authorities, and requires all payday lending adverts to include a risk warning and information about where to get free debt advice. The Government has given the FCA strong powers to protect consumers and to take action against firms and individuals that do not meet its standards. In 2018, the FCA issued total fines of £60 million. On problem debt more broadly, the Government is implementing its manifesto commitment to introduce a breathing space and statutory debt repayment plan. The two polices aim to give people in problem debt the opportunity to take control of their finances and put them on a sustainable footing.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Devolution: Yorkshire and the Humber

lord grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 7 May (HL Deb, col 1140), with regard to combined authorities in England with directly elected mayors (1) what powers those authorities have in common, (2) what powers are specific to individual combined authorities or to groups ofcombined authorities, (3) what are the dates of the next elections for each mayor, and (4) what was the turnout in eachcombined authority in the most recent election for each directly elected mayor.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: 1) All eight mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) in England - Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North of Tyne, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, West of England and West Midlands- have the following functions in common:  Integrated transport functions Bus improvement powers including bus franchising Economic development and regeneration powers Power to borrow for transport functions They also all have a power of competence over areas where they have had functions conferred. In the case of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and West of England this is the General Power of Competence that principal local authorities have. 2) Each MCA has a different set of functions conferred on them, reflecting the bespoke nature of devolution deals as shown below: Power to raise a precept on council tax to fund mayoral powers - all MCAs except West of England. Power to pay grant - all MCAs except Sheffield City Region. Power to establish Mayoral Development Corporations - all MCAs, apart from Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and Sheffield City Region Power to borrow for any combined authority function - all MCAs except North of Tyne and Sheffield City Region Adult education functions -all MCAs except North of Tyne and Sheffield City Region Homes England powers around regeneration - all MCAs except Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Tees Valley and Sheffield City Region. Power to raise a business rates supplement - Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. Liverpool City Region, West of England and West Midlands. Strategic planning powers - Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region and West of England Police & Crime Commissioner functions - exclusive to Greater Manchester. Fire & Rescue Authority - exclusive to Greater Manchester Public health functions - exclusive to Greater Manchester Powers in relation to combined authority roads, as defined in legislation - exclusive to West Midlands. 3) The dates for the next mayoral election in each MCA are as follows:7 May 2020: Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Tees Valley, West Midlands6 May 2021: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, West of England5 May 2022: Sheffield City Region2 May 2024: North of Tyne 4) The turnout for the inaugural mayoral election in each combined authority is as follows:4 May 2017:Cambridgeshire and Peterborough - a turnout of 33.57%Greater Manchester - a turnout of 28.93%Liverpool City Region - a turnout of 26.1%Tees Valley - a turnout of 21.31%West of England - a turnout of 29.72%West Midlands - a turnout of 26.7%3 May 2018Sheffield City Region - a turnout of 25.82%2 May 2019North of Tyne - a turnout of 32.3%

Private Rented Housing: Labour Mobility

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of their announcement of 15 April on changes to the private rental sector on labour mobility.

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following their announcement of 15 April on changes to the private rental sector, whether it will still be possible for (1) universities, and (2) businesses, to procure short-term lets for people coming from abroad for a defined period; and if not, why not.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is committed to modernising the private rented sector and intends to introduce a new, fairer deal for both landlords and tenants.Following the recent announcement to put an end to ‘no-fault’ evictions by repealing section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, we will shortly publish a consultation on the details of our package of reforms. We will use the consultation to test whether specific provisions for different types of housing, such as student accommodation are wanted or needed.Landlords will still be able seek possession using existing grounds under section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, including the ground relating to accommodation tied to employment. These reforms will allow the flexibility for renters to move, including for work, if they wish. Tenants will still be able to choose to end the tenancy, as long as they provide requisite notice to the landlord, retaining the flexibility we know is important to some renters.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Foxes

lord hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of potential secondary uses of the estimated 400,000 foxes killed each year in Britain, including as a source of biofuel.

lord gardiner of kimble: In 2000, the Burns Report estimated that 400,000 foxes die each year in Britain on roads, by being shot or through natural causes. It is the responsibility of those who wish to control foxes by culling to ensure that the carcases are disposed of in accordance with the law. We have made no assessment of potential secondary uses of fox carcases. Animals killed on roads are typically sent for disposal by incineration, co-incineration or processing (rendering). The fat extracted from rendering is commonly sent to approved biodiesel plants for conversion into biodiesel.

Home Office

Immigrants: France

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in cooperation with the government of France, they will seek to widen the terms of reference of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre from exclusive concern with national security and criminality to include the well-being of displaced people sleeping in northern France and the restriction of violent and brutal police behaviour.

baroness williams of trafford: The opening of the Joint Centre for Information and Coordination (CCIC) forms part of the commitments of the Sandhurst Treaty, signed by the Prime Minister and President Macron in January 2018. The Sandhurst Treaty is a bilateral agreement between the UK and France which reinforces the commitment of both sides to work together on border security issues.Under the CCIC, Border Force work closely alongside Police Aux Frontieres in a 24/7 operation to:Assist with preventing illegal attempts to cross the shared borderFacilitate the circulation of information between UK and French agencies to combat cross-border criminalityWork on the prevention of threats to public order on cross-border infrastructureProvide analysis of cross-channel traffic flowsThe CCIC also helps with the identification, prosecution and dismantling of criminal gangs involved in people smuggling and wider cross border crime.There are currently no plans to widen the remit and responsibilities of the CCIC, however its performance and remit are regularly reviewed.

Visas: Overseas Students

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students have had their visas revoked or curtailed for allegedly cheating in Government-approved English proficiency tests in each year since 2014; how many were detained or forcibly removed in that period; how many students made challenges to decisions; and how many cases are awaiting decision by the Court of Appeal.

baroness williams of trafford: The exact information requested is not held centrally by the Home Office. UKVI transparency data provides details of refusal, curtailments and removal decisions on those linked to the abuse of secure English language testing. A link to the most recent available data is provided here; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-and-permanent-migration-data-february-2017 The table in SELT_02 is the closest match to the information requested.The data was last published in February 2017 and only contains data to the last quarter (December 2016). ETS data is no longer published after this date.



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Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic impact of a Brexit scenario where the UK stays in a customs union with the EU.

lord callanan: The negotiated Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration outline the UK and EU’s shared commitment to a free trade area for goods with no tariffs, quotas or rules of origin requirements. We are not seeking membership of the Single Market, or Customs Union, after we leave the EU, but a bold and ambitious economic partnership.The government has delivered on its commitment to provide appropriate analysis to Parliament with a robust, objective assessment of how exiting the EU may affect the economy of the UK, sectors, nations and regions in the long run. The analysis considers four analytical scenarios and compares them to today’s arrangements: the UK position set out in the July 2018 White Paper, a hypothetical FTA, an EEA-type relationship and a no deal scenario.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: Germany

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to develop the UK’s post-Brexit trading relationship with Germany.

viscount younger of leckie: Germany accounts for 10.2% of total UK trade and remains a crucial market for UK goods and services. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Germany amounted to £132.7 billion in 2018. In August 2018, my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade launched the Export Strategy, through which the Government plans to increase UK total exports as a proportion of GDP to 35% and make Britain a 21st century exporting superpower. Germany will be a priority market for this strategy. We will also continue to promote the UK as a bilateral trading partner, reassuring German businesses that the UK remains open for business and remains an advocate for free trade and open markets.

Overseas Trade

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byViscount Younger of Leckie on 14 May (HL15424 and HL15425), which are the 27 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with which the UK trades solely on WTO terms.

viscount younger of leckie: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Members with which the UK trades purely on WTO Terms - not subject to any Free Trade Agreement or preferential trade regime – are: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Gabon, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Macao, Malaysia, the Maldives, New Zealand, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, the US, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Festival of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with local authorities on plans to hold a festival of innovation and creativity in 2022.

lord ashton of hyde: We are in the early stages of planning the Festival. Any formal discussions with local authorities will be conducted by the appropriate delivery body in due course.

Sports: Females

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byViscount Younger of Leckie on 9 May (HL15351), what support they are giving to women's and girls' (1) basketball, and (2) netball.

lord ashton of hyde: The Government wants to get more people from all backgrounds embracing sport and physical activity, including those less likely to do so such as women and girls, and help them to get active in ways that suit them.Sport England, the government arm’s length body responsible for grassroots sport in England, are investing in a series of programmes and initiatives to increase participation amongst women and girls in basketball and netball. This includes £19.7m for the 2017-2021 funding cycle in England Netball to increase the number of women and girls participating in the sport. England Netball deliver this through programmes such as Back to Netball and Walking Netball and to support the high performance pathway. The Netball World Cup will also continue to build interest in the sport and will be supported by the This Girl Can campaign.Sport England are also investing £6.04m for the 2017-2021 funding cycle in Basketball England to fund both the talent pathway and community participation. Funded programmes focused on increasing girl’s participation in the sport include Junior NBA (a city based schools league competition) and the recently launched Slam Jam (aimed at primary school aged children).